KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The sample size isn’t big enough to cause the Kansas City Chiefs to panic but big enough that they can’t ignore the issue. Their starting defense has been weak against the run in the first two preseason games, and fixing the problem will be a point of emphasis on Saturday when the preseason continues for the Chiefs with a game against the Bears in Chicago.

The Chiefs’ starters have allowed 132 yards on 24 rushing attempts for a generous average of 5.5 yards per carry. Nine of those 24 rushing attempts have gone for eight or more yards.

“A couple of runs they should’ve run for 2 or 3 [yards] and they go for 5 and 6 at a time,’’ linebacker Derrick Johnson said after last week’s game against the Rams. “We can’t do that as a defense. It was preseason, so we’re still in training camp mode. Got to get better, all of that good stuff.

“It’s not a panicky thing. It’s just disappointing to have a couple plays scoot through.”

It has been more than a couple of plays and as a result, the Chiefs have had trouble getting the opposing offense off the field. In the preseason opener, the Seahawks were aided on their opening drive by runs of 9 and 16 yards. They moved to the Kansas City 14, where the drive ended on Marcus Peters’ end zone interception.

The Seahawks, aided by runs of 8 and 9 yards, managed a field goal on their next and final possession against the Chiefs’ starters.

The Rams rushed for 66 yards on their first two drives last week. Both possessions ended with a touchdown.

“In the first quarter we were all over the place,’’ coach Andy Reid said after the Rams game. “It wasn’t as good as we need to be, obviously. I thought the second quarter we settled down a little bit. Everybody took care of their gaps and countered things a little bit better, got off of blocks better and just settled down.

“Our tackling was a little bit better, our in-line tackling was a little bit better that second quarter. You have to start the game that way.’’

The Chiefs have been playing without five defensive starters, including two of their better run defenders, linebacker Justin Houston and safety Eric Berry. Against Los Angeles, the Chiefs started rookies Eric Murray and D.J. White in the secondary and young Justin March at inside linebacker.

“We had a couple of rookies start in the secondary,’’ Reid said. “We had, in essence, a rookie linebacker who was starting for us ... and I just think that it’s valuable, valuable reps. We need to tighten it up, though.’’

The Chiefs will play against the Bears without at least four of those defensive starters, so it will be on their younger players to make the necessary improvements.

On the other hand, the Seahawks and Rams were among the NFL’s most efficient rushing teams last year. Each team was in the top 10 in yards per carry average.

“They’re pretty good run teams,’’ Reid said. “It’s been a good test for us.’’

The Bears last season averaged fewer than 4 yards per carry, which put them in the bottom half of the league.